Probationary jail deputy allegedly ran over ex’s head in Tacoma. Now he’s been charged
A Pierce County Sheriff’s Department probationary corrections deputy who allegedly drove over his ex-girlfriend’s head in Tacoma was charged Thursday with vehicular assault, court records show.
Cameron Boucher was purportedly intoxicated when he backed his Toyota Tacoma over the woman’s head on New Year’s Day in a parking lot behind a bar in the area of South 11th and Market streets, according to a Tacoma police report.
The victim suffered facial fractures and bleeding, the report said.
Boucher, 22, joined the Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 5 and is currently on a standard probation for all new hires, department spokesperson Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune. He’s still employed by the department, Cappetto said, adding that any employment decisions must be preceded by an internal review.
A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf during an arraignment Thursday in Pierce County Superior Court. Bail was set at $75,000.
Tacoma police officers were called to scene shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday, where they were flagged down by a large crowd of people, the police report said. A person who reported to have witnessed the incident told an officer that the victim and Boucher had both been at the same bar.
Upon leaving, the victim approached Boucher’s truck to speak with him and — as Boucher was sitting in the driver’s seat — the victim appeared to suddenly slump over, the witness said. Boucher allegedly started the engine, turned the steering wheel and backed up, “striking (the victim’s) head with the front driver-side wheel,” according to the report.
A witness yelled and punched the truck’s window in an attempt to intervene as Boucher allegedly continued to back up over the victim’s head, according to the report. A witness told an officer they were confident Boucher knew that the victim was underneath the vehicle but unsure if Boucher had caused her to collapse or if she did so because she was intoxicated.
It’s not entirely clear if there was more than one witness who reported information to authorities because names were redacted in the police report.
A bystander eventually pulled the victim away from the vehicle. A physical altercation between a witness and Boucher ensued. Two people held Boucher down until officers arrived, the report said.
Police were unable to learn anything about the incident from the victim or immediately photograph her injuries due to her condition, according to the report. It noted that police had scheduled a follow-up appointment to document her injuries.
Boucher, whose eyes were allegedly bloodshot and watering, had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of over 0.19, according to the report. The legal limit for drivers in Washington state is 0.08.
There must be an internal review before any employment decisions can be made regarding any employee who is convicted of a crime or alleged to have committed a crime or violated policy, according to Cappetto. Any felony conviction is a disqualifying factor for employment with the department, she added.
